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Year of the underdog

When I’ve
written before about watching a game on a typical sunny Wellington
day, most would have realised my tongue was firmly in my cheek.
Today’s game was more typical of the weather you would expect when
watching games in Wellington. It was a gusty, overcast day and during
the game we got a smattering of rain and a couple of flashes of
sunshine (even bizarrely at the same time at one stage!).

With the
National Women’s League season only being 6 games long this game,
Capital’s 2nd
at home, was the halfway point of the season for them. It’s been a
good season so far, they are sitting 2nd
and are unbeaten and had a good 3-1 win over Auckland last weekend.
Southern United meanwhile are bottom of the league and were coming of the back of a 8-0 thrashing
from defending champions, Northern.

The game was
heavily affected by the wind, it was pretty gusty at one point a
penalty box clearance from a Southern United defender that would have
normally found the midfield around the center circle went out for a
Capital goal kick!

Taylor-Lynch & Robertson Collide The JourneyFan

Capital started playing into the wind and despite
this set up camp in the Southern United half. They were dealt a blow
in the 15th
minute when striker, Michaela Robertson, chasing a 50/50 ball
collided with Southern United keeper, Catlin Taylor-Lynch. There were
calls for a stretcher and while one was bought out, Robertson is
made of tough stuff and she managed to eventually hobble off with
what looked like an extremely sore hip.

She wasn’t
replaced straight away, but being down to 10 didn’t bother
Capital when 3 minutes later, Briar Palmer broke into the penalty
area from the right flank and slotted home easily to make it 1-0.

Briar Palmer makes it 1-0 The JourneyFan

7 minutes
later and against the run of play Southern United got an equaliser
via Stephanie Lee. The game was getting played in the middle of the
park, Capital battling against the wind and Southern United unable to
use it to their advantage.

Taylor-Lynch takes out Emma Main

Capital
finished the first half with a flourish. Emma Main, broke towards the
penalty area, Taylor-Lynch came out for the ball and realising she
was outside of her area and getting beaten by Main’s run she took
her down with a late tackle and earned herself a yellow card.

Capital’s free kick specialist, Maggie Jenkins, stepped up and in
an almost identical free kick to her goal against Central two weeks
earlier did the same thing to make it 2-1.

Fan Brandon Clarke (@kiwibardy on Twitter) captured the moment with this video.

Capital had
been looking the better team and with the wind you felt they would
get a few goals and it only took two minutes into the second half for
Jayme-Lee Hunter to make it 3-1. Five minutes later Maggie Jenkins
had her second when she pounced on a loose ball from a defensive
melee. Ten minutes later she thought she had a hat trick when another
defence melee, caused by keeper, Taylor-Lynch’s, inability to hold
on to the ball but it was ruled out for offside.

Maggie Jenkins gets her 2nd and Capitals 4th The JourneyFan

A couple of
minutes after this, Capital had a corner and Briar Palmer stepped up
and her corner ended up in the back of the net. From where I was
standing behind the goal it didn’t look as if it touched anyone
until it was over the line, but the officials deemed it was an own
goal to Southern United’s Kate Guildford. It was now 5-1 to Capital and that was the end of the scoring

Capital have
two games left and are currently in 2nd
place two points behind Northern. The next two games will be their
toughest, away to last seasons runners up Canterbury United Pride
next week and then a home game against defending champions and
favourites to win the league, Northern. However this team is playing
well, the return of Briar Palmer seems to have lifted the team up a
level and they seem to have the spirit that could cause an upset and
this year does seem to be one for the underdogs.